Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Guest Post: A Thoughtful Place!!!

Honestly, I never cease to be amazed with this girl...her blog is just busting at the seams with ideas for just about everything! She has great ideas for everything from centerpieces to construction (as evidenced by her latest project and her lovely kitchen!). And on top of all that, she couldn't be sweeter. I know, I'm totally jealous, too. (c:

I'm so very excited to have her to share her absolutely gorgeous home and ideas with us...

Take it away, Courtney!

I am thrilled and honored to be guest posting today! When Aubrey asked me to share a little about what makes our house a home, I was really excited. I really do feel like our house has become a really special place for us . . . but I haven't stopped to reflect on the how or why that happened. This has given me the chance to do so. So let me share with you what we have done to accomplish that.

In the kitchen {the heart of any home} we kept things clean and simple. For us, the brighter and lighter the space, the more we connect with it. We kept it very traditional with the subway tile and the black and white color scheme. A chalkboard above the sink hosts a special saying or quote that makes us stop and think. It's a nice way to start each day.

I think it is crucial to carve a space out for yourself. It doesn't have to be an entire room. But a little cozy spot that says relax and unwind. We all need to recharge from time to time and my spot is a soft place to land when I am having a rough day.

I spend a crazy amount of time in the laundry room. Although it isn't huge, I wanted to add my own personality and make it a happy place to be. I simply added fabric, paint and some flowers. Go for colors and prints that make you smile!

I LOVE using artwork that is meaningful. In our playroom, we hang recent pieces my children have created. It transforms a place from just a cute spot to a truly special space.

Along the lines of artwork, we think things should be personal. In our living room we created a piece of subway art that includes streets that have special meaning to us. I think I spent less than $40 on the entire project and it gives us such joy. It is also a great conversation piece.

Our guest bathroom has a wall with six prints on it. They are all photographs from places we have traveled. It's inexpensive and yet so meaningful. We are reminded of those fun trips each time we see the photos.

And finally, in our master bedroom we created artwork made from our children's birth dates. Also extremely inexpensive and yet priceless. I simply printed out the dates on the computer.

So that's a little look into how we try to make our house a home. To me, it's all about surrounding yourself with beautiful things that hold meaning. If you do that, you really can't go wrong.

Thanks so much for having me!

Thank you Courtney! Isn't her home just devine? I know, I think I'm going to move in. (c:

Welcome!

I am just smitten with pretty much all things design. This blog is where I post all the gorgeous inspiration pictures I find and the pictures of my own misguided efforts on my teensy budget! (c: Thanks for dropping by!